Flue-cleaner



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. F. THOMAS. FLUE CLEANER.

No. 534,928. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. P. THOMAS.

PLUE CLEANER.

No. 534,928. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

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. FLU E-CLEANER.

QEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,928, dated February26, 1895.

V Application filed April 30, 1894- Serial No. 509.582. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER F. THOMAS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Alexandria, in the county of Alexandria and State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFlue-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for opening up obstructed fines offire-tube boilers, or for analogous uses, and consists primarily of ablast nozzle in combination with a surrounding cylinder or duct which isadapted to communicate with the obstructed due in rear of the blast andhaving an extension for entering an adjacent open flue, whereby the dustor other material displaced by the blast, is forced by the escapingcurrent out of the obstructed flue, and through the cylinder and openflue into the smoke boX at the front of the engine.

My invention consists further in certain novel details of constructionwhich adapt such a device for convenient and ready use in carrying outthe operation above described.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure l is a perspective view showing aportion of a tubular boiler with the preferred form of my inventionapplied thereto as it is in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showingthe several parts of the device detached. Fig. 3 is a plan of amodification in which the parts are elongated to permit them to bemanipulated from outside of a furnace door. Fig. 4 is a furthermodification showing a device of simplified construction which islikewise adapted for use from the outside. Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection showing the application of the device.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2:1 and 2 represent a pair of cylinders whichare adj ustably connected by telescoping tubes 3, 4 which adapt them tobe spaced apart the proper distance to permit their forward ends 5 and 6to enter two of the dues of a fire-tube boiler, the cylinders being heldto such adjustment by means of a set screw 7 and the ends 5 and 6 beingprovided with packings 8 to make tight connections with the dues whichthey enter. In order to 'hold the cylinders 1 and 2 in proper positionand to force their packings firmly against the mouths of fiues in whichthey are inserted I provide a support ing bracket 9 which may beinserted in a flue intermediate of those occupied by cylinders 1 and 2,and which has a bearing 10 for the reception of the tube 4 of thetelescoping connection 3, 4. The bracket 9 consists of a lower arm 11having at its rear end a ring 12 which surrounds the bearing 10, andupon which slides a wedge 13, mounted by means of a lever 14 fulcrumedin the arm 11 at 15, connected to the wedge 13 at 16 and having acontrolling handle 17. The arm 11 and wedge 13 are enlarged at 18 tobetter adapt them to engage in the mouth of the fine, and,

as will be readily seen, upon rocking the lever 14 upon its fulcrum 15,the wedge 13 is thrust forward and the supporting bracket becomes firmlywedged in the end of the flue.

The periphery of the bearing 10, which is surrounded by ring 12, iseccentric to the central opening of said bearing which receives the tube4, and said bearing 10 is provided with a handle 19 by'which it may berotated upon the tube 4 and within the ring 12. In thus rotating thebearing 10, by throwing the handle 19 toward the fire-tubes, the salientpoint of the cam or eccentric passes to the inasmuch as the supportingbracket has previously beenfirmly embedded in one of the I fines, thismovement of the eccentric bearing 10 causes the tubes 1 and 2 to beforced forward until their packings 8 insure an airtight connectionbetween ends 5 and 6 and the fire-fines which they enter.

Having thus securely located the tubes 1 and 2 with relation to thefire-tubes or fines, a blast nozzle 20; on a hose 21, is projectedthrough the cylinder 1 until it comes into contact with the obstructionin the fine to be cleaned. The blasting medium is then ad mitted throughsaid hose and nozzle, and the obstruction attacked thereby. The materialwhich is disintegrated by the blast, is drawn off by the escaping ;draftor current, back through the cylinder 1, through the coupling 3, 4 tothe cylinder 2, and thence through an open flue to the smoke box of thelocomotive.

The hose 21 is preferably flexible and may be constructed of theordinary air brake hose. In order to insure an air-tight connection atthe entrance of said hose 21 into the cylinder 1, I provide a centrallyperforated diaphragm 22, held in place upon the outer end of cylinder 1,by means of a flange 23 on the cylinder and the clamping ring 24, whichis secured to said flange by screws 25.

To control the admission of the blasting medium into the hose 21, Iemploy any suitable connection, such, for instance as an ordinaryair-brake coupling 26 which may be connected to the train pipe ofalocomotive if compressed air is to be used as the blasting medium, orit may be connected to any other source of blasting power, such forinstance as a steam generator or a steam pipe on a locomotive. Betweenthe coupling 26 and hose 21 may be inserted a controlling valve 27. Ifind it convenient in practice to mount this valve upon a block 28 andto provide said block with a leg 29 which may be conveniently thrustinto any one of the adjacent boiler flues to support the parts formanipulation.

Referring to the modifications shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it will beobserved that my device may be adapted for use by an operator fromwithout the furnace door, the device being heldin position by theoperator pressing it against the tubes instead of having it forced tosuch position by the mechanism which I have described with reference toFigs. 1 and 2.

In the former of the two modifications it will be observed that thecylinders 1 and 2 are considerably elongated so as to render themconvenient for reaching in through the furnace door and they areprovided with spring packings 30 which adapt them for making tightconnections as they are forced against the flues. In this form thecylinder may have a telescopic connection 3 and 4 as do thecorresponding parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4the blast cylinder 1 and the conveyorcylinder 2 are fixedly connected at such distances apart that theconveyer cylinder will always enter the flue adjacent to the obstructedtube in which the blast is inserted. This form also dilfers from theothers heretofore described in this, that the blast nozzle projectsthrough the elongated cylinder 1 and is made extensible therein, andcylinder 1 has a chamber 31 to which the blasting power is communicatedthrough an inlet nozzle 32 and the blasting medium passes through fromthe chamber 31 into the elongated blast nozzle 20 through one or moreperforations 33. The chamber 31 is formed by pistons 34, through whichthe nozzle 20 passes as shown and in which it makes tight connections byany suitable means.

35 representsahandlefor manipulating the instrument and 36 a hand-wheelon a valve rod 37 which projects forward and terminates at 38 in theforward piston 34 where it acts in connection with a suitable seat tocontrol the passage of the blasting medium.

While the principles of operation of -the forms of mydevice shown inFigs. 3 and 4* are similar to those of the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2,they are much simpler in construction and in some cases might bedesirable for use, but as before stated, the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2are preferable, because adapted for mounting in position and operationfor any necessary length of time without being held by the operator.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the cylinder 2, may be supported in theopen flue by its extension or end 6 which enters said tube, and theconnection 3, 4, may be replaced by any flexible coupling which willleave the blast cylinder free for application to any tube within acertain radius. So also any equivalent mechanical devices may besubstituted for other parts, as, for instance, the means for sliding thewedge 13 over the arm 11, and the eccentric connection 10, 12 may besubstituted by any well known mechanical device which will give thenecessary control of the movements of these parts, and cause theexpansion of the supporting bracket in the flue, and draw the cylinderup to the flues.

It will readily be seen that after the direct impingement of the blast,has efiected an opening through the obstruction the disintegratedmaterial will then pass forward in the direction of the blast, but untilthis takes place the confined power of the current escapes back throughthe blast cylinder and out through another flue, and carries theloosened material with it, in addition to exerting a reactive power onthe accumulation in rear of the nozzle.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device for cleaning fire-tubes of boilers, the combination of acylinder constructed at one end for application to thetube to becleaned, and having a diaphragm at the other end, and also having anescape-tube for the displaced obstructing material, and a blast tubeinserted in the cylinder through the diaphragm and extending forward fordirecting the blast against the obstruction, substantially as explained.

2. In a flue cleaner, the combination of the direct acting blast-nozzleconstructed to direct a jet or blast upon the obstruction to beattacked, the surrounding cylinder terminating short of the nozzle andaffording an escape for the confined blasting current and the materialdrawn out thereby, and the lateral passage extending from said cylinderto an adjacent open flue of the boiler, as and for the purposesexplained.

3. In a flue cleaner, the combination of the direct acting blast-nozzle,the surrounding cylinder terminating short of the blast and affording anescape for the confined blasting medium, and the material carriedthereby, and a cylinder constructed to enter an adjacent flue of theboiler, and having connection with the blast cylinder, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

4. In a flue cleaner, the combination of two cylinders suitablyconnected together, and

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having means for connecting them with two of the flues of a fire-tubeboiler; one of said cylinders having introduced through it a blastnozzlesubstantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a flue cleaner, the combination of two parallel cylindersadjustably connected together, and constructed to make connection withtwo or the fines of a fire-tube boiler, and a direct acting blastintroduced through one of said tubes substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

6. In a fine cleaner, the combination of the blast cylinder, and thesupporting bracket for holding the cylinder in place, connected withsaid cylinder and constructed to firmly grip in one of the boiler fluessubstantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a flue cleaner, the combination of the blasting and outletcylinders and their connecting tubes, and the supporting bracketconsisting of the arm for entering an intermediate flue, and theadjusting connection between the connecting tube and arm, whereby thecylinders are thrust forward, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

8. In a fine cleaner, the combination of the blast and outlet cylinders,and the tubes making connection between them, and the supporting brackethaving means for engaging an intermediate flue, and having the eccentrioconnection with the connecting tube, whereby the cylinders may be thrustforward against the fines, as explained.

9. In combination with a flue cleaner, the supporting bracket consistingof the lower arm adapted to enter a flue and the sliding wedge withmeans for projecting it, mounted on the lower arm, as and for thepurpose set forth.

10. In combination with a flue cleaner having the laterally projectingtube; the supporting bracket consisting of the eccentric having bearingon said tube, the arm for entering the fine, having a ring surroundingthe eccentric, and the sliding wedge having a controlling leverfulcrumed on the bracket arm, all substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

CHRISTOPHER F. THOMAS.

Wi tn esses WM. L. TBA CY, WM. CAMPBELL.

